The Delmar T. Oviatt Library has been serving the California State University, Northridge community since its opening in 1973. On Oct. 3, CSUN officially opened the doors to a new era of the library when President Dianne F. Harrison; Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Harry Hellenbrand; Dean of the Delmar T. Oviatt Library Mark Stover; Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students William Watkins; Vice President of Administration and Finance and CFO Colin Donohue; Vice President for Internet Technology and CIO Hilary Baker; and Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies Elizabeth Adams officially unveiled the Learning Commons with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Learning Commons was built over the summer of 2013.

The new Learning Commons was designed to cater to the new generation of students looking to study in a technologically advanced area. It has been outfitted with flexible workstations, enhanced study spaces featuring ergonomic furniture and an abundance of charging outlets for all the technology being used. There are also librarians offering research consultation, an Information Technology help desk, laptop and tablet checkout and a full-service Freudian Sip coffeehouse to help students meet their educational goals.

Just under 300 people gathered for the event. President Harrison—who addressed the crowd after Dean Stover, Dean Watkins and Provost Hellenbrand each took to the podium—noted that these changes in the library help prepare the university for the future. She called the newly remodeled Oviatt “modern, exciting, and transformative,” and added that the new area’s IT infrastructure will support research well into the next decade and beyond.

Along with the new Learning Commons, the Oviatt also remodeled its third floor to house a new space for the Learning Resource Center. Here, students can receive tutoring, test preparation support, and writing assistance. After the ribbon cutting, attendees were welcome to explore this area as well as the Learning Commons.